The Past Is The Present
by MockingJayOdesta
Summary: Finnick Odair and Annie Cresta live now. They have to face present time problems and overcome hurdles of all kinds, how will they cope when Annie is involved in heart shattering accident? *All critisism welcome *You may want to read my other FanFics to get a feel for my character studies
1. Chapter 1

**Annie's POV:**

-_Annie's 17th birthday_-

My phone vibrated and I saw Finnicks name pop up.

_Happy birthday my beautiful angel. Love you. F xxx_

Finnick and I had been going out since we were both 14. I loved him like mad. My fingers tapped away on the screen until I had composed a message for my boyfriend.

_Thank you, Finn. Love you too. What lessons we got? A xxx_

We were still in school because we had decided to take 6th form together to get a good education. I tried to persuade him not to because it would slow down his diving training but he didnt care, he was so good at diving he didn't need the lessons really.

_Psychology at 10:30-12:00 and performing arts at 1:00-2:30, pick you up in 20mins. F xxx_

School didn't start for an hour. A huge smile grew on my face as I thought of Finnick. It happened all the time. I made a mental bet with myself that he was wearing those dreaded beige cut off shorts and that nice checkered shirt with his navy converse. I dressed in a ill fitting tie dyed ying-yang jumper, black leggings and lilac ballet pumps. Five minuets later I received another text from Finnick.

_Have you eaten today? F xxx_

_Not yet. A xxx_

_Ooo, good, see you soon, my love. F xxx_

I sat on my bed and smiled as I quickly brushed my tangled hair. One particular knot was being a bit stubborn but it wasn't bothering me, unlike the other days rude knots refused to vacate my hair. Finally I got the bundle of hair out and I packed my bag with a salmon sandwich and a lemonade and my coursework books then got yet another two texts.

_Happy Bday, girl! J xxx_

_Im outside. F xxx_

I texted my best friend, Johanna, back then grabbed my keys and bag.

"Bye, Mags." I shouted to my adoptive mother.

"See you soon, Hun." She called back. Mags adopted me when I was 14. She was too old to have children so she chose me. Shes was so sweet and she was like my cute grandma but with a lot of motherly qualities. I shut the door and ran to Finnick, he was wearing what I predicted and had a big box in his hands.

"Annie!" He shouted as I jumped into his embrace. I giggled like a maniac before he let me down and we sat on the bench in memorial of someone called _Philip Seymour Hoffman_. "Got you something." Finnick smiled as he handed me the huge box, poorly wrapped, Finnick style, in beautiful floral wrapping paper.

"Finn!" I scolded, we both agreed to not get each other presents this year. We were saving for a flat for when we were both eighteen. Our work was quite low income so we started saving when we were sixteen, my job was in the coffee shop opposite my house on satudays, and Finnick worked as a lifeguard, on sunday mornings and wednesday evenings, in the same swimming center where he did his diving lessons. I laughed and accepted the gift reluctantly, Finn smiling as he eagerly watched me unwrap the flowery paper. I opened the box and saw a load of materials. All different colours and textures and ribbons and buttons. "Finnick, thank you so so much!" I gave him a huge hug and a quick kiss on the lips. I had a sewing machine in my room which I made dresses and tops for all kinds of occasions which mags later sold. I loved designing so much, I wish it was my actual job.

"You're definitely welcome, my love." He laughed and kissed me again. "Guess where we're going?" He held my hand and helped my get off the bench.

"Um... School?" I picked the box up and held it by the handles.

"Pancake house." Finn half smiled and we began to walk to our favourite, yet expensive, restaurant.


	2. Chapter 2

**Finnick's POV:**

We stuffed down the blueberry pancakes and gulped our apple juice down, because Annie had never been a fan of orange juice we both had a weird fetish for apple juice.

"Quick, Finn!" Annie giggled as she checked the time on her phone. "Registration is in twenty minuets! It's 10:00!" She lightly bounced up and down in the lilac ballet pumps I brought her last summer. I scoffed the last bite of pancake down before jumping up out my seat and handing the waitress £15 for our breakfast. "Thanks!" Annie shouted to the bewildered girl as I grabbed her hand and pulled her out the door.

"We have to run." I laughed as we began to sprint down the alley way and came to the train station.

"Slow down!" A nasally voice ordered us. I pulled a face at the ticket officer and continued to run through the train station until we came to the barriers. I pulled my Oyster card from my wallet and swiped it across the yellow pressure pad. Annie shakily retrieved her matching card from her purse and copied my actions.

"Hurry up, idiot." A fat man behind Annie rolled his eyes at her and folded his arms.

"Ignore him." I held onto Annie's hand and we walked to our train which had just pulled up. "Just in time, right?" I smiled as she pushed the 'open door' button. We sat in a two seated booth and held hands over the table.

"Worth the rush." Annie gazed out the window and put a hand on her flat stomach as if it was bulging out. I nodded although her gaze was fixed on the trees that were sprinting past us at 50 miles per hour, full speed ahead. "Shit!" Annie randomly shouted.

"What? Whats wrong?" She looked as if she was about to burst into tears.

"I forgot my present. I left it in the bloody pancake place." Annie slammed her head onto the table and started sobbing. "Some fucking loser probably took it."

"Shhh, it's okay." I rubbed her back as she violently cried. Why was she getting so upset about it? It was only a bunch of material, I could easily get more. "Do you want me to get you some more?" I asked once she stopped stabbing and sat up.

"No." Annie wiped the tears from her red face. "I want to go get it." She stared at me as if I forgot my line. "Come with me?"

"And skip psychology?" Why did she care so bad, she never wanted to miss class before.

"Yeah, I need to get them, please, Finnick?" Her perfect green eyes blinked at me whilst she pouted.

"I can't, I've got to go to this lesson." She scowled and pulled out her phone. "Who you texting?" I questioned after she had been tapping away for a few minuets.

"Tarsi. He's gonna come pick me up from the next station." Annie mumbled. Tarsi was Annie's friend since the beginning of year 7. Everyone spread rumours that they were going out in year eight but then she proved them wrong by going out with me at the end of year 9, but they were really close. He had just got his drivers licence, I was there with Annie to take him to the smoothie bar for a celebratory drink straight after. Tarsi was a really nice guy and I had always trusted him around Annie, unlike most other guys.

"Okay." I smiled. The train started to slow down a beep came from the speaker next to us.

"Love you." She kissed me then pushed the 'open door' button.

"Text me when you get there." I called as the stepped out. "Be saf-" The door shut, cutting my voice off.


	3. Chapter 3

**Annie's POV:**

I sat on the bench outside the train station, clueless of where I even was. I stared at my Nokia phone screen, waiting for a text from Finnick. I wasn't really one for keeping up with trends, I just had whatever was essential and if I felt like it, I would put my own spin on it, I had decorated my phone with little stick on diamonds which came into a blue heart on the back. It didnt look very good but I didn't care. A text from Tarsi came through

_2 mins:) T._

I took a deep breath, hoping that I would see his red KA car sooner than 2 minuets. I was beginning to feel the cold, biting my face, making me get goosebumps all over my arms concealed by my huge jumper that went out of fashion last year. I tucked a bit of hair behind my ear and closed my eyes for a moment, hoping Finn wasn't mad at me. Suddenly a car beeped. Tarsi.

"Get in, you silly arse." He shouted through the open window. I laughed and hopped into the battered car, instantly smelling McDonald's, coffee and cigarettes. I pushed the seatbelt into place and Tarsi turned the radio up. An old 80's song that Tarsi and I loved came on and we started to sing along.

_"_Billie_ Jean is not my lover, shes just a girl who claims that I am the one but the kid is not my son."_

The song ended after we did some awesome MJ moves and we couldn't stop laughing. We pulled up at the pancake house and I jumped out of the car and ran inside.

"Um, hi, I left a box here about 20 minuets ago, do you have it still?" I asked the waitress who served us. She walked round the desk and pulled the box from it.

"Oh yeah... Some lady handed it in. I have to ask you this just to make sure it's yours so um... what does it contain?" The waitress looked in my birthday present and then looked back at me.

"Fabrics and buttons and stuff." I said, staring at her.

"Yeah, thanks, have a nice day." She smiled and handed my box over.

"Thanks." I mumbled and stuck my head inside the cardboard box and smelt the new materials. I thanked the woman again then left. When I got outside the pancake house I saw Tarsi's car turning over then the glass shattered. I ran to him, dropping the box and my backpack on the ground. "TARSI!" I screamed. "SOMEBODY HELP!" I cried out. Tarsi's arm hung out the place where the window was supposed to be and the airbag was bulging. The seatbelt hung limply by his side and his face was pressed hard against the steering wheel, making the piercing beeping noise continuous. Tarsi's once blonde hair was now covered in crimson blood, matching the paintwork of the body of his car. Shards of glass cut his body and his cleopatra t shirt dripping with blood already and showing a huge triangle of glass wedged in his liver position and smaller triangles scattered around its prior. The waitress and a few colleges came running from the resturant and started screaming when they saw Tarsi's car and the other car on the opposing side of the road. The woman from the other car got out, practically unharmed.

"Is everyone okay?" She shouted. I couldn't move. I couldn't speak. Tarsi was the same.


	4. Chapter 4

**Finnick's POV:**

I walked into registration, only five minuets late. "Hey Finny!" Johanna teased. And slapped her hand on my shoulder. "Where's Annie?" Her head cocked to the side. Johanna's short hair tickled my neck and made me squirm.

"She accidentally left her birthday present at the pancake house, Tarsi took her back to get it." I brushed Johanna off and pulled my phone out. Annie hadn't texted me when she said she would but she was probably too busy doing all the crazy dancing in the car she did.

"Hey, Finnick, where were you this morning?" Peeta called over to me over the coffee table. Peeta and I went diving together, I kind of made him so I wasn't alone and in return I went to the gym with him.

"It's Annie's birthday today and we went to the pancake house, sorry mate." I shrugged as Katniss, Peeta's girlfriend, arrived.

"It's fine, mate." He smirked when he saw Katniss and give her a kiss.

"Oh shit." Johanna looked up from her phone and stared at me. "There was an accident outside the pancake house. Didn't you say Annie and Tarsi were there?" I started to shake all over as I fumbled to get my phone from my pocket. I could barely dial Annie's number. I called her.

"Welcome to Tescos mobile-" I hung up.

"Answer phone." I stammered. The hairs on my neck stood up and I began to shake. The kind of shakiness you get when you first step outside your house in the morning in the middle of winter. Johanna tried calling her, Peeta called Tarsi, Katniss called Annie. Every sixteen or seventeen year old in the room was frantically calling the two until Katniss piped up.

"My friend, Madge, works at the pancake house, shall I call her?" Her face was full of worry.

"Yeah please." She dialled the number and everything went silent as she did so. "Hello?" Katniss' eyes went huge as the phone call was connected. "It's Katniss. It's fine. Do you know what happened outside your work? It's just my friend might've been involved and we're all really worried. Oh god. What car? Oh god. Thanks. Bye." Katniss was shaking just as I was and I was thinking the worst. "Madge said that a boy in a red ka was killed in a car accident."

"That's Tarsi." Johanna said, stunned. The whole room was filled with nothingness and all of a sudden I just burst into tears. Johanna stayed with me as everyone else was allowed to go home. The quiet murmers when people left were impossible to ignore.

"Do you think she's okay?"

"Poor Finnick."

"She might be in a coma."

"I can't believe he's dead."

"Hows Annie going to cope if shes okay?"

That last one was stuck in my brain. Even if she was alive, would she even remember me. Or would she remember the accident to vividly it kills her. The questions whirred round my head making me feel sick, making me cling onto Johanna's ac dc shirt, crying. "I bet she'll be fine. You know how strong she is." Johanna's phone started to ring, in the tone of some heavy metal band she loved. "Hello? Oh, yes. No he's fine, just a bit shocked, that's all. Oh that's great. Okay see you soon." She flipped her phone back down and shoved it into her jeans pocket, pulling her leather jacket on. "Annie's at the hospital, shes fine. She wasn't even involved in the accident." Johanna chewed her lip, making her piercing wobble a bit. "Come on." She grabbed my hand and pulled me up.


	5. Chapter 5

**Annie's POV:**

I sat on the blue plastic hospital chair, head in hands sobbing. Tarsi was dead and it was all my fault. If I hadn't left the box in the pancake house, he would still be alive. A tall thin middle aged doctor marched up to me, placing a warm hand on my back.

"I'm so sorry for your loss. I'm Dr Aurelius and if you want to, you are welcome to come to our grieving sessions. Losing someone can hurt a lot and I wanted to make sure you're okay." I cringed at his rehearsed speech and nodded. Maybe that's all his job consisted of; Just saying those three sentences to make sure people, who just experienced their friends getting crushed by cars, are okay.

"Thanks." I finally mumbled and then resumed my previous position, shaking and sobbing. I stopped crying when I heard a similar patten of footsteps. Finnick Odair. He walked in the automatic doors, linking arms with Mags. I heard a jingle of keys and Johanna appeared, jogging to catch up with my elderly adoptive mother and colour drained boyfriend.

"Annie." Finnick held his arms out and hugged me. I didn't even hug him back. I couldn't. His eyes looked confused but he put on a brave smile for me.

"You okay, dear?" Mags wearily sat down next to me and then rubbed her back. "Chairs a bit stiff, eh?" She patted my knee and crossed her legs.

"I couldn't even see Cleopatra on his shirt." I tried a sentence but it came out all wrong, I couldn't make sense of the jumbled up letters. Mags smiled and put an arm around me, pretending she knew what I was saying.

"I know." In a way it was comforting to have her pretend but then again it wasn't. Johanna awkwardly stood at the vending machine, picking the loose plastic from a chair. Finnick sat opposite me, just staring at my eyes.

"Do you want to go home?" Finnick knelt down in front of me and took my cold hands in his. I slowly and slightly nodded so he stood up and carried me, bridal style, out the robotic doors. I face inwards to his shirt and began to sob, sniffling like mad. He didnt look down so I could cry without being embarrassed. Johanna look Mags' arm and shuffled out into the summer sun. The light was blinding and it made everyone squint. We stood by Johanna's old black beetle for a few minuets. I was so scared of getting in the car that I found myself gripping Finn's damp shirt shaking. "Shhh... It's okay. Ill be with you the whole time and Mags and Johanna will be there too." He held me, looking deep into my eyes.

"Okay." I swallowed dryly and whispered just loud enough for Finnick to hear. "I'm scared."

"No, you're fine. We will be safe, I promise." He replied as Johanna opened the car door and pulled her seat back. Finn put me inside the car and held my hand as he also got in. He wrapped the seatbelt around himself then around me, laying my head in his lap. Johanna helped Mags into the car then sat inside herself. Finnick stroked my hair as we drove 6 minuets to my house and three of us got out. "Thanks, Johanna." He whispered as he pressed £10 into her hand for the lift.

"You're welcome. Look after her." Johanna whispered back and returned the money back to Finnick. We watched her pull her car away from our house and slowly roll down the street, taking a turn off to avoid the pancake house.

"My box." I suddenly panicked. "Where's my box?" I clung to Finn and begged for my present.

"Don't worry, it's inside." He smiled. Mags got her keys out and opened the front door stepping, cautiously of the mat, inside. Without eating or drinking, Finnick and I layed on the sofa, huddled up. Mags went to her bed and I could tell none of us were asleep. No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't.


	6. Chapter 6

**Finnick's POV:**

The day after Annie's birthday and Tarsi's deathday, I smelt the smell of roses resting in my sinuses. I hated that smell so much but Mags' house maid loved it and sprayed it everywhere she went. Her name was Effie and her tendency to keep everything tidy and clean was anything but normal. Effie also liked to scrub up on manors a lot, if at the dinner table I didn't say please when asking her to pass the peas, she would shout "MANORS!" Horrendously loud. Even so, she was relatively kind and she meant well. Effie trotted into the living room as saw the pair of us in our old clothes, half asleep on the sofa.

"Goodness gracious! Come on, get up, get dressed!" Effie squealed. I groaned and Annie covered her ears, closing her eyes. "Up up up!"

"Effie, please." I rubbed my eyes and yawned.

"Up you two!" she grabbed my arm and tried pulling me up so I got up and look her round the corner to have a quick word with her.

"Effie, please let Annie sleep. Her friend had an accident yesterday and he died." I whispered.

"Oh, goodness. I'm so sorry." Her face went pale and tears spilled over her false lashes.

"It's not your fault, would you mind if she just slept in a few hours? Neither of us got any rest last night." I gave her a quick hug then gave her a tissue from a pack that was lying on the kitchen counter.

"No, of course you can sleep in. Would you like some breakfast? I assume you haven't had any yet." She accepted the tissue and daintily wiped the tears away, careful not to smudge her makeup.

"Actually we haven't eaten since breakfast yesterday." Effie's eyes went to dinner plate sizes and she looked over to the fridge.

"Would you like anything in particular? I know when I'm upset, a big plate of waffles and bacon cheers me up straight away." She mumbled as she clip-clopped into the kitchen and looked in the fridge.

"Actually waffles and bacon sounds wonderful." I called back to Effie and I walked back to Annie. "Hey, Ann. How you doing." I knelt infront of her and took her hands away from her ears. She stared at me with her sunken green eyes, which were glistening with tears.

"No more." Annie whispered, the beads of sweat relaxing on her brow.

"No more what, Annie?" It was actually scaring me but I tried my hardest to keep calm for her sake.

"No more him." Her voice seemed to echo everywhere and it sent disturbing shivers down my spine and rattled my bones. "Cleopatra was a witness." Her frown broke into a crumbly smile and suddenly she burst into tears, screaming for Cleopatra and Tarsi. "Help me, Cleo! Tarsi, where the hell did you go when I needed you?" Finally Annie just screamed really loudly and grabbed hold of my shirt. "FINN!" She shouted in my face.

"Annie, I'm here." I whispered and held her tight.

I dont know much about what happened but I do know that this accident was destroying my Annie. Worst of all, there wasn't anything I could do about it?


	7. Chapter 7

**Annie's POV:**

Dear Diary,

What ever I say gets jumbled up and comes out totally wrong. No matter how hard I try to correct myself or even stop myself from saying anything at all, it just comes out in one big bundle, always wrong. Well now I find peace and serendipity when it's silent and black. That's why I cover my ears and close my eyes a lot of the time. Recently I've been having nightmares about Tarsi, and they're not even making sense. They don't even consist of cars or the pancake house or boxes. It's just Cleopatra and Tarsi. I can't understand why most of my thoughts have Cleopatra in but I suppose I'm kind of working on it. I've been trying to accept that I'm mad now, I can't help it and sometimes I just want to be away from Finnick and Mags and Johanna so I can't hurt them. Finnick is getting the worst of it because he cares so much. Not that Mags and Johanna doesn't, it's just that he cares so so much and I care about him too. I try to protect him from me but it doesn't work and I know I'm hurting him and I can see the pain in his eyes when I'm trying to tell him something. When he says to me 'I love you' I just can't say it back. I want to say it more than anything in this whole world. Its like if I say it I'm going to get better but to get better, I have to know why this is all happening. I'm trapped inside myself and I can't come out. I'm screaming to Finn to help me but he can't hear, I'm the only one that can hear me. I try to tell him that I'm okay and I'm going to get better but if I did, I'd be lying.

Annie.

Effie brought a big plate full of buttered waffles and bacon strips isn't the living room and placed them on the coffee table.

"Enjoy." She smiled and strutted back into the kitchen to clean up.

"This looks so good, doesn't it, Ann." Finn tried to encourage me to eat. I slowly picked a small piece of bacon up and my hand shook more and more as I brought it closer to my lips. I bit off a tiny bite and tried to swallow but it was stuck in my throat. I began to cough and splutter and the dryness attacked my mouth. "Annie?" Finnick panicked. He held me close to him as I threw up partly digested pancakes and apple juice. "It's okay. Don't worry." He whispered into my ear. I kept trying to tell him I loved him but the words were stuck. "It's okay." He repeated as I began to cry.

"Finnick?" I whispered when I'd calmed down.

"Yeah, Annie?" He grabbed hold of both my hands at the same time.

"I need help." I managed to finally admit.

"Don't worry, you'll get help and we're going to be happy. You'll get your jewelery shop and ill be a diver. It will all work out perfectly." I wrapped my arms around him and kissed him. That's what I wanted to hear this whole time.


	8. Chapter 8

**Finnick's POV:**

"Come on, Annie. It's 3am." I whispered to Annie. She had been sat on the Philip Seymour Hoffman bench since 12.

"Just a bit longer?" She begged in a hushed voice. I knew she was really nervous for the day ahead; she had to see a doctor who she had been dodging seeing for the past week since Tarsi died. "I'm scared." Annie reached out for my hand. Ever since Tarsi died, Annie said those two words more than once each day.

"I know but you can't get better unless you see Dr Aurelius." I paused. "Your appointment is at 9:30, so if we go back inside and get some sleep, you can get 5 hours rest." I knew Annie had vivid, horrific nightmares every time she closed her eyes for more than one minuet but I can't help but feel that she liked the darkness and falseness of the whole scenario. When she wasn't dreaming, she knew that it was real and that she couldn't wake up at anytime. Just like Tarsi couldn't.

"We sit on this bench every day but we don't know who Philip is." Annie mumbled, ignoring my previous comments. I hadn't got any proper conversation from her for a week now. I could barely look at her without wanting to scream at her that I know the real her is in there. Suddenly her eyes went huge and she gripped my hoodie. "Two days." She panicked. This time I knew what she meant. Tarsi's funeral was in two days.

"Inside?" I softly smiled.

"Inside." Annie agreed, looking ill and smaller than usual.

We got into Annie's bohemian bedroom and she looked at the black dress hanging on the wardrobe. She just stood there staring at it like it was meant to do a magic trick or something. I sat myself on her bed and picked at the loose stitches on a round, purple pillow.

"Finn, I don't want to go. He's wearing Cleopatra." She stammered, not switching her gaze from the dress she had made, months before. It had a lace flower layer on the top half where the belt ended, it then had a plain layer that ended at the knee.

"No, it's fine. He won't wear Cleo-" I didn't get to finish my sentence before Annie grabbed the dress and threw it on the ground. She picked up the boutique mirror that matched her room and threw it on the dress, shattering the glass. "Annie, calm down!" I shouted and grabbed her, restraining her from smashing anything else. She cried into my red hoodie and I held onto her cream cardigan. "It's okay. I'm here." I whispered as I heard Mags turn her bedroom light on and shuffle into the hallway. She opened the door and saw me holding Annie and her crying. Annie didn't see her but I did.

"Is everything okay?" Mags mouthed.

"Yeah, don't worry. Go back to bed." I mouthed back and she did so. I cradled Annie until she fell asleep and I laid her gently on her bed and I avoided the glass and slipped into her sofa chair, slowly drifting into sleep.


	9. Chapter 9

**Annie's POV:**

She was just standing there, over him. Cleopatra stared at young Tarsi in his coffin, whilst his shirt matched her face. I stepped closer to her, reaching out to touch her. Suddenly the turned round and screamed in my face. "Annie! It's your fault." She screamed, her black beaded hair, slapping my face.

"Wake up, Annie, wake up!" Finnick woke me up, shaking my shoulders. I realised my breathing was stupidly fast and I began to cry, holding onto him. "It's okay, it's not real." I eventually calmed down and he stroked my cheek. "Your appointment is in an hour." He whispered as I wriggled in his arms, trying to see the clock on the wall. 8:26. Finn stood up and announced he was going for a shower so I crawled off my bed and opened my wardrobe, looking for a clean outfit; I had been wearing the same clothes for 4 days straight. I dragged a green cardigan off a coat hanger and also a pair of black skinny jeans. I yanked a white vest from my drawer and clean underwear. I stood and gawped at myself in the mirror. How did I loose control this bad? I looked at my greasy hair, knotted and ugly, then at my clothes; a food stained beige cardigan, a pair of leggings with a huge hole in the thigh and a tear stained blue vest. I pulled my clothes off and got a towel from the airing cupboard and wrapped it around myself. Finnick came out the shower and hugged me, squeezing the two towels between us. He planted a kiss on my fore head then let me go in the shower. I showered and washed my hair and plaited it loosely then got dressed in my clean clothes. I shuffled out the bathroom and saw Finnick getting his new shirt on. I glanced at the clock to read 9:02. I sighed and got my stuff together, putting my purse in my backpack. I picked out the salmon sandwich and lemonade from the week before and threw them in the bin, they were starting to smell. I brushed my teeth whilst Finn made toast for breakfast, butter and marmalade. He poured some apple juice into two cups and sat at the table.

"Annie, please eat something." Finnick held my hands over the table. I had only eaten half a banana, one quarter of a slice of toast and a jam sandwich over the past week and I had already started loosing a lot of weight. The only thing I drank was apple juice and I had thrown up three times since... the accident. I nodded at my beautiful boyfriend, but not even nearly hungry. I picked a small bit of toast up and quickly ate it, pretending I was hungry just to see him smile. And sure enough, the corners of his lips curled and his dimples were revealed along with the two adjacent freckles on his left cheek. For the first time in a while, I too smiled along with Finnick. It was like it used to be. We held hands as we said goodbye to Effie and Mags then we got outside where we were greeted by my best friend.

"Hi, guys." She smiled and waved at the pair of us whilst she leant against her car. Johanna was wearing tartan jeans and an oversized Rolling Stones t shirt and creepers. The beanie she wore was hanging off the back of her head and showed the end of her short hair cut. Johanna had shaved her head, along with most of her family, 6 months ago to support her mother who had cancer. Luckily she overcame it a few weeks ago and most of Johannas family had the same length if hair now.

"Hey, Johanna." Finnick replied as he loaded her car with the stuff we had to take to my appointment with Dr Aurelius. I wouldn't let Mags come because I knew she would get upset, being in that sector of the hospital with me. I got in the back of the car with Finn and Johanna began to drive, with the radio on quietly. She was entirely focused on the road, making sure she was driving slow and constantly switching her gaze to the front mirror to check up on me.

"So, about tomorrow..." Johanna began. "Do you want me to pick you and Mags up?" I looked at my shoes and let Finn do the talking.

"If you could, that would be great, thanks." He smiled as I stared at the complicated detail on my black Converse trainers, worried I was about to get that lump in my throat again. We finally pulled up at the hospital and we said goodbye to Johanna and watched her cruise down the street. Finnick looked at his watch that read 9:26 and his fingers entertwined in mine. "Lets go see this doctor." He encouraged as we walked into the hospital, my whole body shaking.


	10. Chapter 10

**Finnick's POV:**

We sat in the waiting room, twiddling our thumbs and watching a middle aged man make an astounding effort at trying not to touch anything. Annie's leg was twitching as the young girl who was sat on her mothers lap, a few seats away from us, was howling in tears whilst her tired mother sank into her chair and didn't bother to calm her screaming daughter down. Annie began to bite at her non existent nails so I grabbed her sleeves and covered her hands with her green cardigan. She looked at me in such a way, it made my heart break. She looked lost, confused, scared and anxious at the same time. I knew she was thinking about Tarsi's funeral that was taking place the next day because I was too. I imagined Annie and I making our way down the isle and taking seats in the third row away from his body. I imagined her crying as the coffin was divided from us with a black curtain and taken away to be cremated. I Imagined us saying our condolences to his mother and father who had regret and anger in their eyes as we handed them a bouquet of carnation flowers.

"Haymitch Abernathy? Room 2." The woman at the reception snapped me back to reality as the man shuffled into the hallway towards a wooden door. Haymitch covered his hand with his coat sleeve and cautiously turned the door handle, wincing as he did so and whipping out a little bottle of hand sanitizer whilst he stepped into the doctors room and let the door slam behind him. Annie's hand crept into mine and it shook as soon as I touched it. "Annie Cresta? Room 1." She looked at me with a look of nervousness and we made our way to Dr Aurelius' room which had an identical wooden door as the room Haymitch Abernathy was in.

"Good morning, Miss Cresta." The doctor shook her hand and nodded towards me. "Who are you in relation to Annie?" He questioned.

"I'm Finnick Odair, Annie's boyfriend." I stared a him dead in the eyes, as I sat down and introduced myself.

"Wonderful. Now, Annie, how have these past days felt like to you?" Dr Aurelius switched his gaze from me to Annie and tilted his head slightly.

"Um." She began. "It feels weird. I don't know." The beautiful, intelligent, passionate Annie I knew was retracting further into her shell. The doctor slowly nodded and scribbled something in a notebook.

"What's the most scary thing right now?"

"Cleopatra." She gasped without hesitation. "Definitely." Annie concluded.

"Mmm hm." Dr Aurelius wrote in the lined pages of the red book. "Now, you don't have to, but can you tell me exactly all the events that happened on your birthday?" The expression of panic jolted to her. I was scared.


	11. Chapter 11

A million pictures flooded into my mind as the doctor cleared his throat. I gazed at the lopsided plant on the desk as images of Tarsi crushed under the little car locked my gaze; I couldn't stand it anymore.

"Why don't you get it? I need help." I screamed and covered my ears. "You don't want to help me at all, do you? You want me to rot away like..." I paused and realised what I was about to say. I was going to say 'like him'. How stupid am I, how the hell could I just abandon his memory for my selfish own purposes? What was wrong with me? "I can't take it anymore." I murmured before feeling Finnick's warm embrace around my shoulders.

"We don't have to do this, right?... another day?" Finn's voice cracked and he burst into tears. "Annie, lets go." He whispered as Dr Aurelius nodded in agreement. Finnick held my hand as we ran out the hospital and he held me in his arms whilst I sobbed into him. "It's okay. It was too soon, we can try again. It's okay." He whispered into my freshly washed hair.

I closed my eyes and breathed hard. "Soon." I sniffed, smelling his chlorine smell which most found over powering but I loved. "Can't run from things in my mind, can I?" I pressed my head back into Finn's jacket and began to cry again.

"Every now and then you're going to fall..." Finnick stated after we called Johanna to tell her we didn't need a lift, and gained composure. "But ill be here to fall with you and pull you up. Ill always be here." He squeezed my hand as we walked down the road, on our way to my house. I couldn't wait to see Mags and I was actually looking foward to calamari for lunch. Maybe all these events helped me in a funny kind of way, maybe I'd come out normal at long last, maybe everything was going to be fine. After all, who needs a happy ending. I'm just glad I got an ending.


	12. Chapter 12

**Annie's POV:**

-Four years later-

So I attended Tarsi's funeral and it wasn't as bad as I pictured it would be, everyone was really supportive and strong. His parents never blamed me, or anyone else, it was a complete accident and couldn't have been helped. Just some bad car manufacturing and bad luck. Three weeks later, Finn went back to school and I returned to the hospital. Dr Aurelius diagnosed me with PTSD, and everything became clear; the dreams, Cleopatra, the moods, everything. I went back to school a week after my diagnosis and ill admit, it was hard at first but I soon settled back in. Johanna's mother's cancer was officially all gone and some new boy, Gale, asked Jo out, resulting in a completely adorable couple! I'd never seen my best friend so happy. Katniss and Peeta moved away to get into a special uni, but we're still in touch and they're very happy.

About two years ago, on leaving day, I went to my locker and opened it to see the little envelope on the door. 'Hey, Annie. Come to the diving pool, my love.' I asked Johanna if her and Gale would like to come swimming with me and Finnick, she said yes and look us to the pool in her black car. We arrived and we got dressed in our swimming gear, a blue floral costume for me, a brown plain bikini for Johanna and checkered grey trunks for Gale. We locked our two changing rooms and walked round to the entrance to the pool. No one was even there. Johanna and Gale ran to the door like two ten year olds on christmas morning and blocked my way to the pool. I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms before they gave in and opened the door simultaneously, showing me my friends and family all crowded round the diving board. I was confused until I saw Finnick down on one knee on the highest diving board in green spotty trunks. "Annie Cresta, Will You Marry me?" He asked me the beautiful question. "Yes!" I screamed. I saw a huge smile plastered across his face as he double flipped off the board and spun in the air, his best dive yet, landing perfectly into the water. My relatives went mad, screaming and cheering and whooping. Finn came up from the pool and greeted me with a hug. I smiled like a freak when he slipped a beautiful silver engraved ring. 'All Eternity' was written on the outside of the engagement ring. We kissed and it was like something from a film.

Finnick and I moved to the seaside when he got his Olympic silver medal. It was one of the best moments of both our lives. I brought a little shop on the high street and I now make my own dresses for a living. Dresses and Such does really well. I always get so excited when I see letters come through the door with 'Mr and Mrs Odair' written on, I can't help it. I can't wait until our baby comes along. I just know its going to be a boy. We want to call him Noah.

**Author's Note**

**Hi guys, this is the concluding chapter of The Past Is The Present. I hope you all enjoyed it and I wish to write much more fan fiction, please don't hesitate to post ideas for any fictions I can write or new styles you think would be good for me to write!**

**Thank you so much for reviewing and reading!**


End file.
